Christmas chopping

Arden Cogar Jr. can chop down a 12-inch-diameter tree in 13 seconds. A lawyer by day, Cogar spends his weekends traveling to lumberjack competitions from his Hamlin, W.Va., home. A member of the U.S. National Lumberjack Team, Cogar has earned 32 world championships in wood-chopping and cross-cut sawing. He's a regular in ESPN's Great Outdoor Games.

"My dad and his dad were loggers, so I grew up doing this," Cogar says. "To me, it's second nature."

To most Chicago-area dwellers, though, wielding sharp saws and axes is not second nature. But, once a year, you can be a lumberjack for a day at one of the area's Christmas tree farms that allow customers to do their own tree-chopping. Most of the farms listed here offer saws, but bring your own just in case. "Buy a new, double-bladed one," Cogar says.

Most also offer free tree-shaking (to get rid of loose needles) and baling. The farmers supply twine, but suggest you bring a blanket to protect your car from scratches and help keep your tree from drying out. Some accept only credit cards, while some accept only personal checks.

Three miles north of McHenry on Pioneer Road, a half-mile from Illinois Highway 31. 815-385-8512, www.pioneertreefarm.com. Hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 26, then weekends through Dec. 19. Trees: Scotch pine and spruce. Cost: $35. Attractions: Crafts, wreaths, boughs, wagon rides, warming house, hot cocoa, coffee. Ten percent of all sales will be donated to the McHenry County Defenders, a group that is dedicated to the preservation and improvement of the environment.